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oldeskewltoy
oldeskewltoy UberDork
10/15/20 12:01 p.m.

Just another quick chime in.....   

Here is a dyno from a "hot" Gordini headed Renault

 

And speaking about Europas for sale....  This one is turn key and available now....

 

 

 

RichardSIA
RichardSIA HalfDork
10/15/20 12:35 p.m.

I like the Dyno chart. My engine is claimed to be good for over 8K RPM! As a reference the U.S. Ford TC made only 105 HP when stock. It's also an iron block.

Got curious to compare new cost to todays restored examples. Cannot find new price listed but I think they were about $4,000? Inflation makes that over $25,000 today! So, a pristine restored Europa for less than $25K should be a bargain over what they sold for new.

Average "Restored/mint survivor" prices are around $18,000, excellent drivers are less. And of course we all know about the "Free" or very cheap hulks, but those seem to be drying up.

I spent more than I should have but got a Europa with pretty much all of the features I would ever have wanted so I'm satisfied. Now if I can just get it HOME!

GoLucky
GoLucky Reader
10/17/20 9:12 p.m.

Last night Helena got our first snow. We got the last of our move in done right before it showed up. Fingers crossed for you that it doesn’t stick too long. 

RichardSIA
RichardSIA HalfDork
10/17/20 9:26 p.m.

If my pistons get released by the machine shop I will be taking time off, or just quitting if I must, to get my truck together.

China-Virus has caused too much grief already, I'm breaking out!

RichardSIA
RichardSIA HalfDork
10/19/20 7:44 p.m.

OK, got my truck pistons AND Europa forum mod approval on the same day.smiley

So I'm headed to my shop to begin assembling a boring SBC 350 truck engine. 

With that done I may assemble the truck and begin my rounds picking up all the cars and parts I've recently bought. laugh

RichardSIA
RichardSIA HalfDork
10/22/20 10:35 p.m.

Found video of my car on youtube!

1995 Black Otter Hill-Climb.

Location, color, and wheels all check out.
1995, appears at 4:17 and 11:32.
Sounded good.

 

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter)
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
10/23/20 6:04 a.m.

In reply to RichardSIA :

Oh that sounds mean! Looks like it might have been the fastest car too. 

RichardSIA
RichardSIA HalfDork
10/24/20 11:07 p.m.

Hmm, think I have a new plan. Do not want to rush getting my truck back together.

So, fly to Helena and rent a 15' box truck one-way. Only a little more expensive than driving my  own truck but faster by at least one day as I only have to drive back. Key is finding a cheap flight. Easier if I delay the trip but I'm about out of patience and getting concerned with the weather.

Did find one really cheap ticket, but an eleven hour layover in Denver is a deal killer! Turns into a two day flight. I could literally drive up as quickly.

 

RichardSIA
RichardSIA HalfDork
10/27/20 3:47 p.m.

OK, impatience overrules thrift!
Booked my flight and a 15' box truck.
No cheap flight as I could not get any details on the "Bargain" which might have entailed up to FOUR connections and seventeen hours!

Paying more let me know exactly when I will arrive and only one connection.

I had BETTER be able to fit in this car and drive the wheels off as I've more into it than probably makes sense today.
If I am reading trends right and gasoline/fracking is not banned after the election I will be glad to have gotten it. In ten years I should marvel at the bargain I got. 
If the election goes bad, ah well, not my first mistake and I will not be alone in outrage. 

I should have a bit of extra space in the truck, anyone need something reasonably small moved from Helena to Reno/Sparks? This Thursday, hope to leave Helena around 3:00 PM.

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter)
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
10/27/20 9:06 p.m.

In reply to RichardSIA :

I sure do hope you fit, but if you don't please let me know. 

RichardSIA
RichardSIA HalfDork
10/27/20 11:02 p.m.

As soon as I get back, I'm on the Atkins Diet!

It does work, I've done it before, the nick-name for this car is Motivation.

RichardSIA
RichardSIA HalfDork
10/30/20 11:42 p.m.

Home at last! 918 miles driven in two days.

15' U-Hauls is NOT really 15', that is only above the cab. So I was not able to fully close the rear door as I had intended. 

Saturday trick is to get it unloaded. Pretty sure this car has been lowered. Need to do a full inventory of all the "Trick" parts. Some will be out of date.

Anyone recognize these wheels?

acheron64
acheron64 New Reader
10/31/20 5:53 a.m.

I gather french engines from the 70's where never big in the US lol

Forget current Peugeot & Renault they used to make cars and engines that had a unique engineering style. For its time a well engineered bottom end that came into its own when gordini developed heads for them. As a base engine they where a succesion from R8, R10 to R12, this engine obviously related to the Renault Alpine.

The other interesting sequence was the PSA all alloy sohc engine that started in the R16 TS and updated for the Renault Fuego ( & Peugeot 505) good for 9000 rpm stock. The final variant of this engine was seen in the first of Renaults WRC cars.

So that engine has quite a pedigree, enjoy!

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter)
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
10/31/20 6:29 a.m.

In reply to RichardSIA :

Wow, that car is really beautiful! I'd get it painted blue again, sort out its mechanical needs & leave the rest as-is. 

TurnerX19
TurnerX19 SuperDork
10/31/20 7:59 a.m.

You need a buddy with a rollback to unload it.

jmc14
jmc14 Reader
10/31/20 8:25 a.m.

The car looks great Richard.  Congratulations!

 

When I was in JR high my neighbor had a Europa.  I always thought they were cool. 

 

 

RichardSIA
RichardSIA HalfDork
10/31/20 8:53 p.m.

Well, I just turned down $9,000.00 for it and I have not even got it running or off the truck yet!

 

jmc14
jmc14 Reader
11/1/20 8:50 a.m.

Awesome Richard!

RichardSIA
RichardSIA HalfDork
11/1/20 6:45 p.m.

OK, OK, Pics already!

Out of the truck, on the ground, in the shop.

Dash is not great.

"Gordini" TS engine with Webers and "Equal Length" headers.

Crane ignition, no points. Points just could not keep up with the revs.

Pulled the plugs, dark but not sooty. Putting some MMO down the cylinders tonight. Will let that sit a couple of days before attempting a start and compression check.

RichardSIA
RichardSIA HalfDork
11/2/20 8:23 p.m.

Break my heart, the the tart won't start!

Alllllmost, but not quite. 
A little help and I would probably have it running now.
By myself, not yet. sad
Even after I treated her to 110 octane leaded without distilled corn syrup additive.
It was the only decent fuel I could find at short notice.
I really want to do a warm compression check.

This has been the most expensive temporary oil change I have ever done at about $40.00
Six quarts of oil, filter, bottle of ZDDP additive.

I bought a Sump Gun and used it to push oil into the remote filter lines then reattached them.
Of course I also filled the new oil filter before putting it on.

My shopping list is begun.
Choke cable and new air filters.
Yes, K&N do get petrified after sitting a couple of decades.

jr02518
jr02518 HalfDork
11/2/20 9:07 p.m.

Only to ask,  what altitude did the car run at in its previous "racing" life?  What is your current altitude?  Same thing with air temps the car use to run at.  

My reference was a '64 Elan with side-drafts tht ran at 1500' or 5300'.  That and I never bothered to start it when the temp was lower than 40.  Something about 15-50 on a cold morning.  

TurnerX19
TurnerX19 SuperDork
11/3/20 7:14 a.m.

Have you blown out the emulsion tubes and pilot jets yet? Every DCOE car I have ever worked with would start with a few throttle pump squirts and no choke. Any temperature, always less than 1200' altitude.

Ian F (Forum Supporter)
Ian F (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
11/3/20 8:03 a.m.

In reply to jr02518 :

What is it about cold temps that makes a performance engine hard to start?  My Mini was like that.  Below 50 F getting it to start was a real SOB. 

NOHOME
NOHOME MegaDork
11/3/20 9:00 a.m.

In reply to Ian F (Forum Supporter) :

Low vacuum signal at crank speed and fuel less willing to evaporate into the airstrean that does exist.

 

I think the curve goes something like this:

TED_fiestaHP
TED_fiestaHP HalfDork
11/3/20 9:00 a.m.

   You really should not need any choke, pump the gas once and it should start fine.

    Under those round covers are all the jets, easy to remove, they could be plugged up.

       You might want to spin it over with the plugs out, that will build oil pressure without any load.

      This should be a really fun car.   I have been using paint from Summit, single stage urethane, the blue pearl I am using would look great on this.

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